Learning styles in the Faculty of Business, Northern Territory University: Implications for higher education and computer interface design

The learning style of students in the Faculty of Business, Northern Territory University, using the Myer Briggs Type Indicator and the Kolb Learning Style, was examined for relationship to various demographic variables. The learning style and demographic variable were then used to examine factors involved in computer attitude and practical assignment achievement.

The Kolb results were discussed but because of sampling problems are not included in any conclusions.

The student population was significantly different from the norms for the Myer Briggs Types. Although age, gender and culture were found to influence the Myer Briggs Type, their effects were not large. Course major was not effected by Myer Briggs Type. Computer Experience was engendered by age, gender and the Myer Briggs Type. Computer attitude was effected by gender, age, Myer Briggs Type and computer experience. Feeling and intuitive dimensions appear to negatively influence computer experience and computer attitude and thinking, judgement and introversion appear positive influences on computer experience and computer attitude.

Practical results were clearly heavily influenced by computer attitude above the other significant influences of age, culture, gender and Myer Briggs Type.

The computer course resulted in more negative attitudes by the female students, in spite of their higher performance in assignments and lower drop out rate.

More work needs to be done to check whether incongruence of users with the Human Computer Interface causes anxiety and negative attitudes. More work also needs to be done to examine the outcome effects of a mismatch between the Human Computer Interface and the operator.